Developmental Milestones

If you’re like most parents I know, you’re probably wondering if your child’s development is on track, am I right?

Well, I’m here to help.

I frequently receive emails and Facebook messages from parents and caregivers who have questions about their baby’s development, particularly as it relates to the “big” milestones of tolerating tummy time and learning to roll, sit, and crawl. So I figured it would probably be helpful if I put together an all-in-one resource so everyone can benefit from the same information!

Below are some basic developmental milestones to keep in mind as you follow your baby’s development during the first year. With each milestone, I’ve included links to posts that will help you better understand each milestone and give you ideas for how to encourage your child’s development in order to make progress toward each one. Milestone information is referenced from the HELP Strands Developmental Assessment Checklist.

Please remember there is a range of “average” and every baby is different and follows their own developmental timeline. I try to remind parents that the most important thing is that their child is making progress. Don’t get too caught up in whether your little one’s development lines up EXACTLY with a developmental chart or else you will worry yourself sick! Offer activities and experiences that build off of your baby’s current abilities and interests, rather than “forcing” or “pushing” milestones he or she just isn’t quite yet ready for or interested in. Development isn’t always linear, and often our babies make progress without us even realizing it. However, if you truly are concerned about your child’s development, please be sure to share those concerns with the primary medical provider (pediatrician).

I sincerely hope you find this page helpful…please share it with others who might benefit as well!

TUMMY TIME (PRONE)

⇒Lays on tummy, lifts face off surface 1-2 seconds: 0-2 months
⇒Holds head up with chin 2-3 inches above surface: 0-2.5 months
⇒Holds head up and turns it to both sides with no head bobbing: 2-3 months
⇒Pushes top of chest off floor while bearing weight on forearms: 2-4 months
⇒Holds head completely upright (90 degrees to floor) a few seconds: 3-5 months
⇒Pushes entire chest off floor while bearing weight in both hands: 4-6 months
⇒Pushes chest up, bears weight in one hand, reaches with other: 6-7.5 months

Remember, tummy time doesn’t just mean putting your baby flat on the floor so they can scream and be miserable…it can actually be creative and fun! Plus it’s super important — tummy time is basically the gateway to all other motor skills, which is kinda incredible when you think about it.

⇒Lays on back and turns head to both sides: 0-2 months
⇒Straightens out both legs while on back: 1.5-2.5 months
⇒Kicks legs with alternating movements while on back: 1.5-2.5 months
⇒Bends knees in and straightens them out easily on back: 2-3.5 months
⇒Brings hands to midline (center of body — chest, face), on back: 1-3.5 months
⇒Lays on back and looks in midline (rather than to side): 4-5 months
⇒Lays on back and brings feet to mouth: 5-6 months
⇒Lays on back and lifts hips up, feet pushing into ground: 5-6.5 months
⇒Lifts head slightly with chin tucked to chest while on back: 6-8 months

Tummy time gets all the press, but playtime on the back is important for balanced development of muscles and movement patterns, too!

⇒Lays on side and roll to back: 1.5-2 months
⇒Rolls from tummy to back: 2-5 months
⇒Lays on back and roll to side and get “stuck”: 4-5.5 months
⇒Rolls from back to tummy: 5.5-7.5 months

Rolling seems to be the motor milestone parents become most concerned about (based on my experience and the fact that my post on rolling is the most popular motor milestone post on my blog), probably because it marks the transition from immobile to HELLO, I’M MOBILE! Plus, babies like to tease us parents and make us think they’re about to start rolling, then back off and wait another month or more until they finally do it, which makes us crazy!

⇒Holds head steady 1 minute in supported sitting, no head bobbing: 3-5 months
⇒Sits with slight support, trunk fairly upright with some rounding: 3-5 months
⇒Actively moves head in supported sit: 4-5 months
⇒Leans on hands to sit for a few seconds: 5-6 months
⇒Sits independently and steadily, hands available to play: 5-8 months
⇒Sits without hand support 10 minutes, no need to prop self up: 8-9 months

From a developmental perspective, babies learn to sit not by being propped by baby equipment but by being given opportunities for strengthening their core (tummy, side, back) and neck muscles, such as when playing on their tummy and practicing their ninja-like rolling skills. This core strength leads to postural stability which, in turn, leads to independent and functional sitting!

⇒Lays on tummy and pivots one-quarter turn to left and right: 5-6 months
⇒Brings one knee forward next to trunk while on tummy: 6-8 months
⇒Crawls/scoots backward while on tummy: 7-8 months
⇒Crawls/scoots forward a few feet on tummy moving arms and legs: 8-9.5 months
⇒Transitions from sitting upright, down to tummy on floor: 6-10 months
⇒Holds hands-and-knees position several seconds, tummy off ground: 8-9 months
⇒Crawls on hands and knees for several feet, belly off ground: 9-11 months
⇒Crawls on hands and feet (“bear walk”): 10-12 months

In addition to being mama to two sweet little boys and wife to a crazy awesome husband, Christie is a Registered & Licensed Occupational Therapist (OTR/L). She holds a B.A. in Psychology with a Minor in Education from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA…Go Bruins!), and an M.A. in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California (USC OT). She has experience working as a pediatric OT in early intervention (birth to 3), clinic-based, and school-based settings. Her mission with MamaOT.com is to encourage, educate, and empower those who care for children. Christie loves that she gets to PLAY when she goes to work, is hopelessly addicted to Kettle Corn, and is known for being able to turn virtually anything into a therapeutic tool or activity, from empty food containers to laundry and everything in between. Learn more about Christie and what inspired her to become an OT.

Occupational therapy (OT) is a holistic profession that helps people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities, also known as “occupations”. Some OTs help people diagnosed with disability, injury, or disease. Others help prevent disability, injury, or disease. Because of occupational therapy, people of all ages are able to say, “I can!” no matter what their struggle. Isn’t that amazing?!

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Please provide appropriate supervision to the child in your care when completing any activities from this site. You as the grown-up will need to decide what types of products/activities on this list will be safe for your child. If you’re not sure, check with your child’s occupational therapist or pediatrician. Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when implementing any ideas or activities from this site, particularly if there is any risk of injury (e.g., falling, crashing), choking (e.g., small parts), drowning (e.g., water play), or allergic/adverse reaction (e.g., materials/ingredients). The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any activities or ideas from this site.

The ideas presented on this blog are for informational purposes only and are not medical advice. A blog can never replace an individualized treatment plan developed as the result of in-person assessment, clinical observation, and collaboration between therapist, caregiver, and (if applicable) child. If you are concerned about the development or functional abilities of a particular child in your life, then that child’s parent should talk with his/her pediatrician or seek out the services of a developmental pediatrician or a local occupational therapist.

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Comments

Really wish I’d found this site sooner. Since English is my wife’s 2nd language I tend to do most of the reading/research myself when time permits and relay the information. I’ve been quite frustrated with all the subjective content that I’ve read, particularly since opinions can vary wildly from one site to the next. It’s refreshing to read topics that are not only extremely thorough but also backed by research.

Having said that our little 6-month old daughter seems to be coming along nicely according to these milestones — and that’s despite some mistakes we’ve made in her training (not enough tummy/side time, propped sitting). I suppose it’s never too late to correct those mistakes though, so thank you for putting all of this information together!

This was soooo helpful. I was worried about my son, because like most moms, we have a tendency to compare kids, but after ready this, I can say proudly that my boy is right where he needs to be and also advancing in some areas. Thank you so so much!!!

I am a Full time and advocate mom of an autistic (mild asd) my son is in Occupational Therapy for 1 and 1/2 months now. Since we have a very tight budget my husband cannot afford anymore to send my son to an OT…so I decided to search for tools, ideas on Pinterest and googles and all the possible means to help give my son a therapy at home (without paying Occupational Therapist, sad to say 😭 ) until I drop by to this site. I am very greateful to find this, I am able to get ideas and exact guide as well to equip me as a full time mom (without OT experience nor degree) to use to my son who is in ASD.. Thank you again an again. God bless.

Hi Christie,
I am so happy I have found your blog! What a bunch of useful information! I love this post as it is full of useful links, thank you so much for your work.

Do you have a similar post about fine motor skills? Would be so helpful to see one.

I have a son, who is slightly delayed in gross motor development — I think all of the skills appeared at the top of the range mentioned in your article.

He is 17MO old now, started walking independently at 15.5 after lots of training waliking him from me to daddy. But still — he cannot stand up without holding up to the furniture/wall.

What I am worried about is his fine motor skills. Do they appear after they mastered gross motor?
Some of the milestones I read in books/online he does not hit:
– put one small building block on the top of another (single-hand activity)
– using shape sorter and posting box toys (post box, piggy bank etc)
– put a straw into a large upright container
Does it seem to be fine and how do I encourage this type of movement/hand stability?
I would be so grateful if you could help with advice.

Lidia, I don’t have a “master list” of fine motor milestones on my site as of now, but here is a link that has helpful info about gross motor and fine motor milestones for ages 1-3: https://kidcentraltn.com/article/fine-and-gross-motor-skills-1-3-years. You’re on the right track in your thinking when you mentioned that gross motor development lays the foundation for fine motor development. It is helpful for little ones with his skill level to continue to practice crawling (develops stability in the trunk and also develops the small muscles of the hand for later fine motor development), crawling/climbing up surfaces like a counch pillow/step up into the kitchen/parent’s lap, balancing while standing, holding onto a surface and then briefly taking hands off to play or give mommy or daddy a high five, holding onto one surface and then transferring to another one nearby (like holding onto the coffee table and then reaching over and placing his hands on the couch a foot or two away), and walking. For fine motor, self-feeding is one of the BEST and most motivating ways to encourage use of the hands and fingers. Make sure any finger foods are small enough to not be a choking hazard (for example, don’t offer a whole grape to a 1 1/2 year old, cut it in half or quarters). Introducing finger foods and thick foods that can be used with a spoon (like oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce) offer great fine motor practice in the early stages.

Here are a few links you may find helpful based on the info you shared in your comment:

Great website with so many wonderful resources! My daughter is 6.5 months and pretty close to crawling. She’s able to army crawl and constantly flips over to her hands and knees and rocks (especially in her crib when she wakes up at night!). She doesn’t have much interest in sitting. She’s able to sit unassisted if I prop her there for 10-15 seconds but then she leans backwards. And wants to get horizontal so she can move. Is that normal to kind of skip sitting and focus on crawling? Should I be encouraging her to sit more with some If the wobbly sitter
Recommendations or it will happen naturally? Thanks! So amazing to watch them grow, develop and learn new skills.

It sounds like she is right on track, Stephanie! When infants are allowed to follow the “natural” progression of motor development, you will actually find that “functional sitting” develops after they have learned how to get themselves up onto their hands and knees (or a slight variation of it) in a pre-crawling position. This is because being on hands and knees allows them to then push themselves backwards and a bit to the side in order to scoot one leg under them and push their booty onto the floor into a sitting position. This is considered “functional” sitting (as opposed to “placed” sitting when they are placed in a sitting position by an adult) and tends to develop in the second half of baby’s first year. You can read more about functional sitting and see a short video and a series of pictures demonstrating functional sitting at this link: http://mamaot.com/to-sit-or-not-to-sit-developing-functional-sitting-skills-in-babies/ There are a variety of opinions in the infant development community on whether babies should be placed in sitting before they are able to get into and out of it all by themselves. However, if you choose to allow your baby to “practice” sitting on a firm surface without the use of a “container” (such as a Bumbo or similar product), you are not going to “damage” your baby. It’s up to you and her level of interest in the activity. If she would rather scoot around and play on the floor, then that should be fine! All of that scooting and pre-crawling will help strengthen the muscles in the hips, legs, core, and neck needed for functional sitting anyway. Thanks for taking the time to comment, have fun!

Thank you so much for this list. I’ve been using it for my little girl and the ideas to help sitting worked well (we used the diaper box).
One thing that does worry me is she does not push on her hands during tummy time. She is 7 months and stays on her forearms to play. Any suggestions on encourage “push up”?

You can also place a small rolled washcloth or receiving blanket under her upper chest to help introduce her to the feeling of being a little bit higher up in order to place her hands on the floor, instead of her forearms. If she’s not pushing up, but has the ability to do so and just hasn’t discovered it yet, this may be all she needs for it to click for her. Babies will typically start out by pushing up to their hands with their fingers in a fisted position and then, over time as they get stronger, they will be able to place their hands on the floor with fingers in an open position and palms pressing into the floor. Does your little girl avoid placing toys or other items in the palm of her hand, or is she okay with having different sensations on her hands? Sometimes if babies don’t like the feeling of sensations on their fingers or palms, they will avoid placing their hands on the floor to push up.

I just wanted to say I am a new(ish) mom (nearly 10 months in) and I have really enjoyed reading your blog. I am always on the look out for accurate information and advice so all your posts about milestones and encouraging development through play is wonderful.

This blog is great! I just read that you have a BA in Psychology, and went on to get your Masters in Occupational Therapy. What was the process you went through to obtain your OT degree? Did you have undergo a bunch of undergrad schooling, or were you able to move straight forward into the OT masters program?

And if you are looking for more info about what else is involved with becoming an OT you can read this free resource I put together called “The Most Important Things You Need to Know About Becoming an OT Practitioner: A Guide for Prospective Students” : http://mamaot.com/ebooks

Do you have information on babies who are early? My 4 month old was born a month early and I’m noticing some fine motor delays around his 4 month mark and hopeful I’m just worrying too much and there were some simple activities I could be doing to help him along. For example..reaching for toys or even his toes! 🙂 Any info or links to info?? Thank you in advance, your site is great!

If he was born a month early, then it is expected that there will be a slight gap between his chronological age and his “developmental age.” So, right now, it would be expected that he’d be demonstrating skills at the 3 month development level, since he is 4 months chronologically but was born a month early. Typically kiddos born a month early will catch up by their 1st birthday and there is usually nothing to worry about. If you are looking for more activities within this age range, check out http://candokiddo.com. It’s a site run by a fellow pediatric OT, but she focuses specifically on babies so she has lots of activities and resources for that age range. Good luck!

Great blog! I am an OT that works in an outpatient setting and see a small caseload of pediatric patients. I always struggle to find good treatment ideas, due to not being a peds clinic, and this is very helpful. I’ve passed it along to my co-workers and friends!

Very helpful! I am applying to OT schools and I also work at a child care center right now trying to gain more experience with children. I love reading your writing and then seeing it at work with my infants. It reinforces the concepts and I am also able to try different activities with them that you suggest, you rock!

I love your Blog! I wish I’d found it earlier…. what is your advice on baby who is getting up on all fours and rocking, getting REALLY frustrated? I don’t really know how to help him/teach him. If he happens to get himslef back onto his side or tummy, by that time he’s so frustrated that he’s just lost it. He’s 8months today, and has been scooting backwards for a couple of weeks. Should I be trying to teach him to get back down from all fours? How would I even do that? help!

Thank you for the kind comment. You are SO in luck because I am literally going to be publishing a 3-part series on crawling starting this week! Subscribe to the blog from the homepage so you don’t miss the posts and stay tuned…it sounds like he is on the right track and is just a couple weeks away from crawling if all goes as he hopes 🙂

Great blog! I am a PT and co-owner of Milestones & Miracles (www.milestonesandmiracles.com) We produced a resource to support this very notion – pairing milestones with play! I’d love to share it with you and your readers and connect with you further as my business partner (an SLP) and I have really enjoyed your sight since finding it in the last month! milestonesandmiracles@gmail.com if you’d like more info!

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Disclaimer

The ideas presented on this blog are for informational purposes only and are not medical advice or individualized therapy recommendations. A helpful blog can never replace an individualized treatment plan developed as the result of in-person assessment, clinical observation, and collaboration between therapist, caregiver, and (if applicable) child. Please provide appropriate supervision when completing any activities from this site. Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when implementing any ideas or activities from this site, particularly if there is any risk of injury (e.g., falling, crashing), choking (e.g., small parts), drowning (e.g., water play), or allergic/adverse reaction (e.g., materials/ingredients). The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any activities or ideas from this site.